The present invention relates to a communication method and a communication system for communicating facility information relating to such facilities as lodging facilities and parking facilities between a server and mobile terminal, and a server and mobile terminal used in the communication system.
JP-10-505927 teaches a method, which enables a user to obtain facility information relating to facilities such as lodging facilities and parking facilities. A user riding in an automobile can obtain location information indicating the location of a parking lot using a traffic message channel (TMC) of a radio data system (RDS) accessible via a car radio. Parking lot location information is transmitted using an open block of the traffic message channel. The traffic message channel is transmitted sequentially. This means that the user needs to wait a relatively long time until the desired information can be obtained.
Over the last few years the Internet has made it possible to conduct real-time searches for the same types of information regarding lodging facilities and parking facilities. It is also possible to access the Internet and conduct searches from a car even while the car is moving. However, in order to find a lodging or parking facility that can be reached quickly, the location must be used as one of the search conditions and the user must therefore first confirm the current location.
While the user can readily specify the current location when in familiar area, the user needs to confirm the current location when in unfamiliar area. This necessarily increases the time needed to obtain facility information for the desired lodging, no parking, or other facilities.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a communication method and communication system enabling a user to quickly obtain facility information relating to a desired lodging facility, parking; facility, or other type of facilities.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a server and mobile terminal used for the above communication method and communication system.
According to the present invention, a communication system comprises a mobile terminal and a server for communicating facility information between the mobile terminal and the server. The mobile terminal sends a zone code in conjunction with a search request instruction requesting a facility information search. The zone code corresponds to location data indicating a location of the mobile terminal. Upon reception of the search request instruction, the server determines at least of one of a plurality of zones as a search zone based on the zone code received from the mobile terminal and searches for facility information in the server according to a zone defined as the search zone. The facility information is stored in the server in correspondence with the zones. The server sends the facility information obtained by the searching step to the mobile terminal. The mobile terminal displays the facility information received from the server.
Preferably, the server also sends advertising data for an advertisement along with the facility information. The mobile terminal also sends a reservation request for requesting a reservation to use the facility to the server, and the server accomplishes a process for reserving use of the corresponding facility based on the reservation request. The server also sends a proxy payment processing request requesting payment by proxy of a usage fee required for using the facility, and the server accomplishes a proxy payment process for paying by proxy the usage fee required for using the facility.